Unexpected
by rke
Summary: A simple mishap leaves Cara in an unconcious delusional state, believing that she has failed to revive Kahlan with The Breath of Life. What follows leads Cara to discover a new emotion in herself, which she never believed she could feel.


Cara doesn't remember the snake. She doesn't remember the bite, nor does she remember Richard lopping the snake's head off in one, clean sweep of his sword.

She _does_ remember taking off her glove to study some fresh prints in the soil. She remembers a flash of movement out of the corner of her eye.

The next thing she remembers is the way Kahlan gasped, how the surprise of being attacked, by a pitiful snake of all things, had filled her lungs and rushed out just as quickly.

Cara remembers kneeling by Kahlan's side, telling her that everything was going to be fine.

Cara remembers closing her eyes and feeling a wave of nausea pass through her. When she opens them she feels suddenly and wholly disconnected from reality. Her thoughts and movements are slow, as if the air she was breathing had morphed into the cool water her parched mouth was longing for. Fluid and damp.

Vaguely, Cara recognizes that Kahlan is having trouble breathing. The brunette's lungs gasp for the smallest bit of air, and then, nothing at all.

When Cara's un-gloved hand finds Kahlan's neck, to check for a still beating heart, it seems, to Cara, to take an eternity, waiting for the gentle rise of a pulse. And perhaps it does take an eternity, because Cara never feels it.

Somewhere in the back of her mind Cara hears Richard pleading, '_can't you save her_?'

Zeddicus, for all his worth, is muttering under his breath, but the fog that's clouding Cara's mind melds the words together, into a different language entirely...or maybe it is, she'll never care to know.

As Richard's words finally hit their mark, Cara feels as if she's been slapped.

Of course, the breath of life, what else?

Cara bends forward, gently bringing her lips to within a hairsbreadth of Kahlan's. She exhales softly, coxing the wisp of light with every pulse of breath.

Seconds pass, or is it minutes, even hours? Cara can't tell, but she knows it's too long. Pulling Kahlan into her lap, Cara does the only thing she can think to do. After all, she's never failed to bring someone back before.

She places her lips flush against Kahlan's, as if hoping that the extra contact will somehow strengthen her power. It's hurried and fierce. Cara gasping for air before claiming Kahlan's mouth again, forcing her to breathe.

Soon enough, Cara does not have the energy to force. She, in fact, has little energy at all, which is perhaps why she feels her face streaming with, what she has been told are, tears.

She's taking in air as if she could breathe it in for the both of them, but she can't. She feels a familiar darkness at the very edges of her vision. With Kahlan still in her lap, she begins to crumple back. She's failed. She's failed herself, Richard, Zedd, and especially Kahlan. The Mother Confessor has been lost. But Cara doesn't care so much about that. Because this angry, stabbing feeling of loss in her chest is not for The Mother Confessor, it's for Kahlan.

Then, instead of darkness surrounding her, Cara feels an odd, almost warm light. She feels as if she hasn't breathed in years and struggles to take in a full gulp of air.

In a matter of moments Cara realizes a great many things.

She is not and had never been crying, but Kahlan is. Kahlan's tears are running off her cheeks onto Cara's. Their lips are joined, Kahlan trying to force her air into Cara.

Richard is pleading, to both Kahlan and Zedd, '_save her, you've got to save her_.'

And as she feels the sting of the air hitting the puncture wounds on her wrist, she also feels the poison being drawn out as Zedd continues his chanting to rid her of the venom.

Cara breathes in deep, her lips pursing just the slightest against Kahlan's, who has suddenly stopped mid-breath, her eyes wide and glistening with tears.

"Cara?" She whispers, not daring to move. Cara sighs shakily, feeling the warmth of Kahlan's breath against her lips.

Kahlan has her lips pressed against Cara's once more, not for breath but in relief. She pulls back, holding Cara's face in her hands.

"We thought we'd lost you!" She says, her eyes bright, still shimmering through tears. "There was that, that horrible snake, and it bit you, and you fell. Then you were gone." The rush of words from Kahlan's mouth does nothing to help the throbbing in Cara's head. She winces and is soon pulled back into Kahlan's embrace. Once again feeling the Mother Confessor's breath against her skin. "I thought I'd lost you."

"And I you," Cara manages, her face pressed to Kahlan's.

The brunette pulls back, her eyebrows knitted with worry, "why would you think that?"

"I must have lost consciousness. I thought it was you the snake attacked." Cara says, still slightly dazed. Kahlan's mouth forms a small 'oh', as Cara pulls Kahlan closer to her still. "You died." Cara swallows, Kahlan's tears feel foreign on her cheeks. "You died and I tried the breath of life but it didn't work. Nothing worked, Kahlan. I failed."

Kahlan smiles endearingly, and Cara frowns.

"You didn't fail Cara." Kahlan says, still smiling. "In fact, if you hadn't blocked it, that snake probably _would've_ bit me instead."

Cara's eyebrows furrow, "so...I didn't fail you?"

Kahlan shakes her head. "No Cara, you didn't fail me." Kahlan wipes gently at Cara's face, trying to remove the tears that she'd cried there. "Now rest. We're making camp here for the night."

Cara nods slowly, her vision swimming. She sees Richard and Zedd smiling down at her over Kahlan's shoulder. She feels Kahlan's lips press against her forehead and, she does as she's told, she rests. 

-

When Cara wakes, she feels an overwhelming soreness throughout her body. It is not all that much unlike the pain brought on by her agiels, only slightly different and foreign. She brushes a hand over her weapons; the familiarity of it bringing her to her senses a bit.

It does not, however, rid her of the lingering heaviness, brought on by the vision she'd experienced while unconscious the day prior.

It takes a moment for Cara to realize that Kahlan has knelt down in front of her, is speaking to her.

"How are you feeling?"

Cara grasps her agiels more firmly, hoping for that sense of normality she usually feels when wielding them. It doesn't come.

"I don't know." Cara hears here own voice, rough with sleep and fatigue. Kahlan tilts her head to the side, crinkling her forehead. It makes the heaviness in Cara's stomach double, and her chest tightens uncomfortably. She catches Richard and Zedd out of the corner of her eye. They've slowed their movements, hoping that their eavesdropping will go unnoticed.

It doesn't.

Kahlan follows Cara's line of sight and chuckles slightly, sensing the blonde's trepidation.

"Come on," she says, offering Cara her hand, "there's a meadow and a creek nearby. Let's take a walk."

Frankly, the idea of 'taking a walk' sounds insane to Cara. Her body feels like it's on fire, but she recognizes Kahlan's attempt to put some distance between themselves and the men and accepts the pro-offered hand.

Kahlan calls the meadow beautiful. Cara calls it target practice, with them being the targets. She has never felt very comfortable in wide, open spaces and today is no different but she holds her tongue, she has other things on her mind. She glances casually at the brunette walking by her side.

"Something is different."

Kahlan smiles and continues walking. "How so?"

Cara furrows her eyebrows. "I am feeling things and I do not know what they are."

Kahlan slows and turns to Cara. "Describe these feelings to me," she says gently.

Cara sighs lightly, "I wonder what would have happened had it been you bitten by the snake and not me," she says, matter-of-factly. "Also, I do not wish to let you fight on your own and I feel..." she pauses, searching for the word to right word to express herself, "...better…when you are by my side."

"And this confuses you?" Kahlan asks.

Cara nods, "Not because I am feeling, but because I do not know why."

Kahlan smiles, "because you care."

Cara tilts her head to the side, "you mean, the way I cared for Leo." Kahlan nods. Cara pauses to think for a moment, she cared for Leo, and she did feel something when he died...

"This is different," she says suddenly, making Kahlan's smile falter. "I did not...worry for Leo's safety, as I do yours."

"And do you worry for Richard's safety?" Kahlan says, confusion tinting her voice.

Cara shakes her head, "no, I know that he can defend himself."

"So you think that I can't defend myself?" Kahlan asks, her voice rising just slightly.

"No, that is my dilemma," Cara answers firmly, "I know that you are a more than adequate warrior. I worry for the unseen, the unexpected. I worry when I should not."

Kahlan nods, suddenly looking away from Cara. "Perhaps," she says, toying with a bit of tall grass, "you are learning to love..."

Cara notices Kahlan tense, as if expecting an attack from the blonde.

"Love is what you feel for Richard," Cara says dismissively.

Kahlan nods, "Yes, but there are many different types of love. The love between Richard and Zedd for example, and yes, the love I feel for Richard."

"So, what kind of love do I feel for you?" Cara asks, with an air of innocence Kahlan never knew she possessed.

"That's something I don't think I can answer for you."

Cara nods, after months of traveling together, Kahlan can now recognize when the blonde is crestfallen.

"It's also something that doesn't necessarily need to be answered right away," she says hurriedly. Cara quirks an eyebrow at her.

"So...I love you?" She says and Kahlan can't stop the blush from rising in her cheeks.

"I suppose so," she says, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.

"And do you love me?" Cara asks, blunt as the day is long. Kahlan ducks her head before looking back up at the blonde. She remembers how afraid she'd been yesterday, how relieved she'd been today to see Cara alive and, nearly, well.

"Yes...I do."

Cara nods again, seemingly satisfied. She turns to head back to camp, but stops short, causing Kahlan to bump into her back. She turns without putting any distance between them.

"Do we kiss now?" Cara says, though quieter than before.

Kahlan's eyes widen slightly, as she struggles to form words, "well, I-"

"Because you kissed me yesterday," Cara cuts her off, "and you kiss Richard very often. So, now that I love you, do we kiss?"

Kahlan is at a loss for words, because it's true; overjoyed that Cara was not, in fact, dead, she had kissed her, however brief it may have been.

"I don't know," Kahlan whispers.

Cara just nods again, leaning in the slightest bit. She brushes her lips lightly across Kahlan's, lingering just long enough for Kahlan realize how gentle and smooth a kiss can be when a beard isn't involved.

-

When Kahlan and Cara finally make their way back to camp Richard is waiting for them.

"What are you two up to?" He asks with a smile.

"I love Kahlan," Cara says simply, passing him by. His smile falters and he quickly catches Kahlan's gaze. She is looking fondly after Cara, but turns to him with a smile.

"Cara has discovered a new feeling," she says, placing a reassuring hand on his arm. He smiles slightly and turns, regarding the blonde curiously.

"She's full of surprises," he quips, shouldering his pack.

"That she is."

Kahlan had no idea just how surprising Cara could be. The blonde would surprise her after many a battle with a gentle brush of her lips. She would surprise her before battle, weaving their fingers together for the briefest of moments before charging into the fray. But Kahlan was always the most surprised when, during their travels, for no reason at all, Cara would nudge her or simply give her a meaningful look, before murmuring, "I love you."


End file.
